12 February,2024 10:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Prasun Choudhari
Gold concealed within lining of the baggage/ Screengrab
The Customs sleuths at Mumbai airport recently seized a kilogram of gold valued at (approximately) Rs 97 lakhs. The gold was recovered across five different cases.
An official from customs, while sharing details said, "In the first case, an Indian national arriving from Dubai via Spicejet Flight SG 60 was intercepted, leading to the discovery of 570 grams of 24 karat crude gold jewellery and 22 karat gold jewellery concealed within the clothing worn by the passenger."
"The second case involved a foreign national arriving from Colombo via Vistara Airlines Flight UK 132. Upon inspection, customs officials found 538 grams of 24 karat crude gold jewellery and a rhodium-plated kada concealed within the passenger's trousers," the official added.
Another senior official from Customs said, "In the third case, an Indian national arriving from Abu Dhabi via Vistara Flight UK 256 was found with 240 grams of 24 karat gold dust in wax hidden within their trousers."
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The official added much like in the third case, another Indian national arriving from Abu Dhabi via Etihad Airways was carrying 215 grams of 24 karat gold dust in ash concealed within the inner lining of their check-in luggage.
Meanwhile, insiders from the agency said, "In the fifth case, an Indian national arriving from Singapore via Air India Flight AI 343 was intercepted with two 24 karat gold bars, collectively weighing 200 grams, concealed within their sandals."
The seized gold, along with the individuals involved, have been handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation, confirmed a senior customs official.
Additional Commissioner of Customs Zone III Sarika Shah, when asked about the status of the five arrestees, said, "If the amount of gold is above Rs 1 crore with a passenger, he is sentenced to judicial custody. If it is over 50 lakhs, the person is released on a bailable bond which he has to pay or the person is taken into customs custody. There is no police custody in this matter."
